For me, creating art is a practice of self-love. It's intentionally choosing to slow down. Lighting a fire in my studio. Saying no more to the fast-paced life I gave up when I said goodbye to my corporate career. Saying yes to the things that nourish me and make me feel alive.

 

I was an artsy kid. Always crafting or painting well into the night. I studied art at the University of Iowa and had dreams of becoming an art teacher. Somehow (I think this often happens to us when we're influenced by societal norms and not anchored in our values) I wound up managing high rise office buildings and for 15 years I barely touched a paintbrush. I had no inspiration or energy to create. 

 

5 years ago I packed up my belongings and my cat and moved from a big city in the US to a sleepy sea-side village in The Netherlands. Through lots of hours spent deep in inquiry exploring concepts of self-love, self-worth, and living authentically, little by little I have been creating a new life here that reflects the things I value most - creating, being in community, showing up authentically, spending time in nature.

 

These days, I visit and swim in the North Sea at least twice a week. Last year, I created a swim community for women where we gather at the North Sea every Friday morning for a cold swim followed by a warm up in a local beach cafe cozied up by a fire. As much as I can, I throw my tent in my backpack and explore new sections of the Dutch coastline or other gems hidden deep in nature. For me, nature is the ultimate teacher, reminding us to slow down and allow ourselves to just be.

 

I believe the most radical journey we take in life is learning how to love ourselves so deeply that we are able to silence the noise society makes about who and how we "should be" and give ourselves permission to be authentically and unapologetically wild and free.

 

This journey is a daily practice and I am so thankful my art and cold swim community allow me to share the little wisdom nuggets I've gathered in hopes that they might inspire and help others on their own self-love journey.

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